Intraoperative management of penile erection with intracorporeal phenylephrine during endoscopic surgery

Intraoperative penile tumescence during endoscopic surgery is a troublesome complication that often is refractory to recommended methods of management. We report a new approach of pharmacological management with intracorporeal penile injections of phenylephrine (total dose of 0.1 mg.), which was successful in 3 successive patients. This approach is prompt, safe and reproducible, and it provides sustained resolution of erection without systemic side effects. It is concluded that local intracorporeal penile administration of this sympathomimetic agent appears to be a potent new tool in the armamentarium of the endoscopic surgeon dealing with this frustrating clinical situation, which merits further clinical trial.     

A comprehensive eye/vision program

As an essential element of the comprehensive rehabilitation efforts at Northport VA Medical Center, and as a service whose demand is projected to increase substantially with the expanding proportion of aging veterans, eye/vision care has become increasingly important. As a result, the administration of the Medical Center decided to heed the suggestions of Congress and the Director of Optometry in VA Central Office and reorganize the delivery of eye/vision services so the ever-increasing demand could be met more rationally, efficiently and effectively. In this paper, the Northport VA Medical Center's Comprehensive Eye/Vision Program, including the residency program in rehabilitative optometry, will be described and the benefits of the reorganization will be discussed.     

Treatment of cutaneous T cell lymphoma with intermediate doses of interferon alpha 2a

In this study we treated 6 patients with epidermotropic cutaneous T cell lymphoma (CTCL) with intermediate doses of recombinant alpha 2a interferon (18-100 x 10(6) IU/week) for 2-6 months. One patient experienced complete clinical remission in spite of a persistent dense lymphocytic skin infiltrate. One patient was markedly improved and 2 patients were moderately improved. The clinical condition of the 2 remaining patients was unchanged by interferon treatment. In all cases lesions relapsed a few weeks after treatment was discontinued. This study shows that interferon can be used to treat epidermotropic CTCL. However, a 2- to 6-month treatment using moderate doses did not lead to the high percentage of remission previously reported by others with high doses of recombinant alpha 2a interferon, for longer periods. This result suggests that interferon should be used at high doses and/or for long time periods for clinical improvement of CTCL patients.     

Selective attention to facial emotion and identity in schizophrenia.

The selective attention to facial emotion and identity was investigated in 12 patients with schizophrenia and 12 healthy participants. Both patients and controls were required to perform two classification tasks (according either to identity or emotion). Two separate values for identity (person A/person B) and for emotion (fear/anger) were used. When the classification task was on one dimension, the other dimension was either correlated, constant, or orthogonal (Garner WR. The Processing of Information and Structure. Potomac, MD: Erlbaum, 1974, Garner WR. Interaction of stimulus dimensions in concept and choice processes. Cognitive Psychology 1976;8:98-123). Results indicated that both patients and healthy participants had an asymmetrical pattern of performance: they were able to selectively attend to the identity of the face presented, regardless of the emotion expressed on the face, but variation in identity interfered with the classification of facial emotion. Moreover, a correlational study indicated that the identity interference on emotion classification for schizophrenic patients covaried with the severity of their negative symptoms. The selective attention competencies in schizophrenia and the independence hypothesis of emotion and face recognition are discussed in the framework of current face recognition models.     

Effects of unilateral cortex lesions on gene expression of rat cortical cholecystokinin neurons.

In rat neocortex, the gene encoding preprocholecystokinin is expressed in interneurons which also synthetize gamma-aminobutyric acid. An injury to the meninges and the underlying cortex increased the concentration of mRNA coding for preprocholecystokinin in all ipsilateral cortical areas. Simultaneous treatment of the rats with the anti-inflammatory agent diclofenac did not affect the injury-induced change in gene expression indicating that inflammatory processes were not involved. The injury also enhanced the expression of the immediate early gene c-fos in the ipsilateral cortex in a time-dependent manner. There was an increase in c-fos mRNA 1 h after the operation, which was no longer observed 3 h later. Twenty-four hours after the operation, cells containing c-fos mRNA were found in cortical layers II, III, V and VI. The neurons which showed an increased expression of preprocholecystokinin were also in these layers. The N-methyl-D-aspartate (NMDA) receptor antagonist MK-801 prevented the injury-induced increases in both preprocholecystokinin and c-fos gene expression, indicating that stimulation of this glutamate receptor subtype may initiate the changes in expression of both genes. It is hypothetized that the immediate early gene c-fos is activated first and this then leads to the increase in preprocholecystokinin mRNA.     

Gadolinium-enhanced magnetic resonance imaging in temporal bone lesions

A 2-year experience with an enhancement agent in magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) is examined through case presentations. Characteristics of the agent Gadolinium DTPA/Dimeglumin are reviewed. Radiographic capabilities in enhanced versus unenhanced MRI are compared. Temporal bone lesions, including acoustic neuromas and facial nerve neuromas, are presented. Recent experience with facial nerve enhancement in Bell's palsy is also presented. Greater accuracy in defining small temporal bone lesions and increased delineation of facial nerve involvement appear to be significant benefits with enhanced MRI.     

In vitro and in vivo evaluation of seven 50 mg and 100 mg nitrofurantoin tablets

Four 50 mg and three 100 mg marketed nitrofurantoin tablets were studied in 14 healthy male subjects. Urine was collected 1, 2, 3, 4, 6, 8, 12, and 23 h after each dose, and nitrofurantoin was assayed by HPLC. The in vitro dissolution of the tablets was determined using USP Apparatus 1 and 2, with 0.1 N hydrochloric acid and pH 7.2 buffer as the dissolution fluids. One of the 50 mg tablets was more rapidly and completely absorbed than the other six products. The incidence of side-effects for this product was as low or lower than the other products. It was determined that the use of the USP Apparatus 1, at 100 rev min-1, with sampling of the pH 7.2 fluid at 30 min, provided for the best overall relationship between the urinary excretion and in vitro dissolution.     

Bupropion and nicotine patch as smoking cessation aids in alcoholics.

This is a double-blind placebo-controlled study of sustained-release bupropion as a smoking cessation aid in alcoholics undergoing treatment for their alcoholism. Participants (N=58) were enrolled within 1 week of entry into alcohol treatment from community and Veterans Affairs Substance Use Disorder programs. All participants received nicotine patch and were invited to attend a smoking cessation lecture and group. Cigarette smoking and alcohol outcomes were measured at 6 months. Bupropion when added to nicotine patch did not improve smoking outcomes. One third of participants on bupropion reported discontinuing the drug during weeks 1-4. Participants reported cigarette outcomes with nicotine patch that are similar to those seen in the general population. All study participants significantly reduced cigarette use. Comorbid affective disorder or antipersonality disorder did not affect outcomes. Alcohol outcomes were improved in those who discontinued cigarettes.